Electrical connector



June 9,1942. H. JENSEN ELECTRICAL coumgpwon 2 sheets-sheet -1 Filed May 1, 1959 inventor N5 E N I I HL'LGE J5 attorney June 9, 1942. H. JENSEN ELECTRICAL 'CONNHCTOR Filed May 1, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .m. n mm m J F- m E H (Ittbrneg Patented June 9,. 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

l lelge Jenfe s slss fiizififfstzfor to Cole Electric Products Co. Inc., Long Island N. Y., a corporation oi New York City,

Application my 1, 1939, Serial No. 271,083

1Claim.' (cl. 173-269) This invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to electrical connectors constructed and arranged to afiord terminals for ,the securement therein of electric wires, cables, or similar conductors. In their more specific aspects, the terminal connectors embodying the present e pe- One object of the invention is the provision of a terminaiconnector provided with improved means for securely clamping the end of a wire or cable in an opening in the body portion of the terminal connector.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a terminal connector having'parts constructed and arranged to conform substantially invention are of the solder-- to the cylindrical ,curvature of the wire .or cable 7 secured in the connector whereby to provide an improved mechanical and electrical connection between the cable or wire and the terminal conhector.

Another'object oi the invention is to provide a terminal connector which may be made of sheet 'metal stock and composed of parts which "may be readily manufactured by'simple and ina terminal connectoe'which can-be readily .as-

, Referring now to first to the form of the invention illustrated in; Figs. 1 to 5, the terminal connector made in acsembled with other electrical connecting devic'es.

such as for example, a conductor plate carrying a-fuse clip terminal or a similar terminal ot-the ime which is encas d by the knife-blade or a switch. The aboveobjects of the invention and other objects, advantages and features of the embodiments thereof-will be apparent from the following description considered "accompanying drawings.

; In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is aside view in elevation ofa terminal connectoramade in accordance with one 101ml of the present invention; f

. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the connector shown in Fig.1, the clamping members being omitted;

Fig. 3 is an end vie w of the connector shown in Fig. 1;

with reference to the vice. removed Fig. 4 is aldetaiisectional view on the line H of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a clamping member detached from the clamping screw shown in Fig. 1; i I 7 Fig. '6 is a plan view of a terminal connector g g. 8 is an end view of the connector shown in Fig. 6; r Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the clamping detrom the body portion of the conhector;

-Figs. 10 and-11 are views similar to Fig. 8,

showing modifications;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the connector illustrat ed in Fig. 11;

Fig. .13/is a perspective view or a connector embodying yet another form of the invention:

Figxld is an end view 0'! the connector illus v trated in Fig. 13; a v

Fig. '15 .is a perspective view of a connector mounted on a conductor plate together with a (use clip or switch knife-blade clip;

16 is a sectional view on the line lO-lt of Fig.

Fig. 1'? is of Fig. 15. I

the drawings in detail, and

cordance with this form of the invention comprises a sheet metal body portion ill, formed preferably from seamless tubular sheet metal stock, and a sheet metal blade or bar I! connected together preferably in the manner which will now be described. Body portion II has opposite side walls It and I6 and opposite end walls II and 20 defining an opening for the reception of the end voi a wire or cable (not shown). Side walls I and ii have outwardly bent portions 22 liormed therein adjacent end wall to provide internal grooves 2! preferably tor the full length or said side walls. Also, as here shown, end wall it has an approximately arcuate curvature, and

bar I! h'as'a portion 26 otcorresponding arcuate curvature. Said arcuate portion II of bar II is "somewhat narrower than the outer fiat portion: A

I. or said bar providing shoulders 3| adapted to lie near adjacent-edges of side walls It and It. Portion II of bar 12 interfits with ody portion II of the connector and more particularly engases the side walls I! and It or said body por-' a sectional view on the line i|-.-i'|

- thereof is preferably provided tionin grooves 24 thereof. It will be noted that edge portions 32 of the side walls interiorly thereof at grooves provide shoulders which hold bar portion 26 in abutting relation with end wall I8. Movement of bar portion 26 longitudinally of the side walls of body portion I is prevented by the engagement of a small struck-up projection 34 of end wall I8 in a small hole or perforation 3B in bar portion 26.- The outer or lug portion 28 of bar I2 is preferably flat and is provided'with one or more openings 38, which,

may be threaded .or unthreaded, as may be necessary, for securing the terminal connector in position. It will be noted that bar portion 26.has an approximately cylindrical concave surface for engagement with a cylindrical wire or cable.

For securing the cable in position within the opening of body portion I0, more particularly" for clamping the cable in good electrical and mechanical connection with portion 26 of bar I2 in engagement with said concave surface thereof, there is provided a clamping device which will now be described. Said clamping device comprises a clamping screw which is in threaded engagement with an internally threaded sleeve 42 integral with and dependent from end wall 20. Threaded sleeve 42 is formed by extruding the same from said end wall. Said sleeve is preferably of such diameter that the outer portion thereof lies close to or abuts the inner adjacent surfaces of side walls I4 and I6, re-

I spectively, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. A clamppose screw ,42 has a reduced portion 46 which projects into the central recess portion 48 of late M and is upset at its outer end'SIl thereof as plate 62 is movable very little if any current need pass ,through the connector body portion itself.

In the form of the inbention illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 the terminal connector is substantially of the same construction as that described above in reference to Figs. 1 to 5, with the excep ti0n of the clamping device and of the form of the end wallof the body portion and of the inner bar portion connected thereto. Thus, as here shown, body portion Illa is of the same construction as body portion III with the exception that end wall I8a which corresponds to end wall I8 of body portion I0 is flat and not curved, and inner bar portion 26a of bar l2a is similarly flat instead of being curved. It will be understood that bar portion 26a is received within the grooves 24a formed in'the side walls of the body portion of the connector and is secured against longitudinal movement by the central struck-up projection 34a'which engages bar portion 26a in the perforation 36a. The clamping device comprises a screw 60 which is in adjustable engagement with the threaded sleeve 42a which is extruded from the end wall 20a of the body portion of theconnector, said sleeve 42a being in all re-,

spects similar. to sleeve 42. carries a clamping plate 62, the latter having a swivel or rotary connection with the former by the engagement of the cylindrical stem 64 of said plate in a circular opening iprmed in the lower end 66 of the screw. Said screw and plate are held in assembled relation by upsetting the end 58 of stem 64 over end wall 66 of the screw at the bottom of the hexagonally shaped recess 10 of thelatter. The outer surface 12 of plate 62-is pitted or roughened as illustrated in Fig. 9 to Clamping screw 80 provide a frictional surface for engagement with- 1 It will be understood that" as a unit with screw ill to- I ward and away from bar portion 26a and that the cable or wire.

, when said plate engages the cable or wire the shown in detail in Fig. 4 whereby plate {4 has a swivel connection with said screw. It will be observed that plate 48 is substantially co-extensive in length with said walls I4 and I6 and iswide enough so that its sideedges 52 lie close,

withfla slight clearance, to the inner adjacent surfaces or said side walls. Plate. 42 has an arcuate or concave surface 54 which confronts the concave surface of bar portion and like the latter conforms substantially to the curvature of the wire or cable. The ends of plate 44 are curved somewhat toward and wall 20 whereby to prevent the edges 68 of said plate from injuring thecable, particularly when the latter is of the multi-wire or stranded type, be understood that the connector made in accordance with this form of the invention as well as in accordance with the other forms of the invention are well adapted for use with single or non-stranded conductors. For improving the grip of plate N on the cable or wire, surface 54 I with a multiplicity of minute indentations or pits indicated by the dots in' Fig. 5 of the drawings. It willbe apparent. that when the end of the cable-is inserted in the opening in body portion ll between the confronting surfaces of plate and bar portion 20, said cable is securely connected bothmechanically andelectrically to the connector by turning screw-4| to causeplate u to securely engagethe cable and force the same firmly against the confronting of bar portion .2. It will be noted thatthe electrical connection is made directly between the cable sndbar I2, and that frictional engagement of surface 12 with the latter prevents rotation of said plate during the rotation of the screw for tightening the connection of the cable to the connector between-the confronting surfaces of bar portion 28a and plate 62. As illustrated in vice constituted by the screw 60 and plate "is although it will applied to the housing III in lieu of the clamping device constituted by screw I and plate M. In other respects the connector illustrated in Fig. 10 is the same as the connector shown in Figs. 1 to 3. It will be understood that the clamping de=-. -:-vice shown attached to housing I. in Fig. 1 may be attached to housing Ila in place of screw 0. and plate 12 in trated in Figs. 6 to 8.

In Figs. 11 and 12, the connector is seen to comprise a'housing Ilb whichis of the same con-- struction 6 to 8 with the exception that the end wall 20b which is provided with the extruded sleeve 12b is comparatively flat instead of. curved as is the case with end wall 2.41 of housing Ila. Bai- I2!) is of the same construction as bar I21: and is eon-' nected to the housing Ilb in the same way as'blr I2a is connected to housing Ila. of the tuted by a screw M which is in utilized in the forms of the invention hereinb'efore-described is oftheinventionan' thescrew Fig. 10, the clamping dethe form of the invention illusas the housing Ila illustrated in In this-form invention the. clamping device is consti I threaded ennsement with sleeve 42b.- The swivel clamping Platehowever omitted in this form 2,285,928 26b. The end of the screw is provided with a small circular dent or recess 16 into which a part of the wire or cable is squeezed when the screw I is clamped thereon.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 the connector comprises a body portion 18 having integral therewith a connecting lug 80. Body portion I8 has an opening 82 for the engagement therein of the cable or wire. As shown in Fig. 14 said opening extends below the surface 84 of lug 80 whereby the adjacent end portion 86 of the latter constitutes a stop provided with a relativelyv In the form of the invention. illustrated in Figs. 15 to 17, a terminal connector 49 is mounted on a conductor bar 96 in association with-a clip 90 fora fuse or for the knife-blade of a switch. Connector 94 comprises a housing having an end wall- I00 and opposed side walls I02 having inwardly converging portions I04 terminating in edge portions I06- disposed in abutting relation. Said edge portions I06 project through an opening I08 in bar 96 and are upset or riveted over the opposite surface IIO of said bar whereby connector 94 is rigidly secured to said ,bar. The inner surface II2 of converging end portions I 04 are engaged by the cable through the open end of the connector, remote from the clip 90. End wall I00 is provided with an outwardly extruded threaded collar or sleeve H4 in which the screw H6 of a clamping device is adjustably engaged for releasably securing the cable or wire in engagement with surfaces II2. said clamping device also includes a rotary plate I I8 which is mounted on screw 1 I0. The clamping device constituted by screw 0 and plate H8 is preferably of the same construction as the clamping device illustrated in Fig. 9, which includes the screw 60 and the plate 62. The clip 08 includes members I20 arranged in spaced confronting relation to receive therebetween and engage in electrical contact therewith the blade of a fuse or the knife blade of a switch. Said clip members I 20 are rigidly fixed or wire inserted to bar 96 in upstanding relation thereto and for this purpose each otsaid members is provided with a reduced end portion I 22 forming shoulders I24 for engagement with one surface of said bar 96, when said reduced edge portion I22 is projected through an opening I26 in said bar, there being one such opening I26 for each clip member I20. The outer ends of reduced end portions I22 of clip'member I20 are upset or riveted over the surface IIO on bar 96 for rigidly fastening said clip members to said bar.

While I have shown and described several forms of the invention, it will be understood that the latter maybe embodiedin other forms and that in the illustrated embodiments certain changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made. It will be understood also that inasmuch as the invention comprises several features of construction, cer-' I tain forms of the invention may have omitted therefrom certain parts which are included in other forms of the invention and other changes than those indicated herein will occur to skilled artisans. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the forms of the invention herein shown or described, or precisely to the construction of any of the illustrated embodiments, except as may be required by the scope of theappended claim.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim and desire to secured by Letters Patent 15' A connector comprising spaced side walls and spaced end walls defining an opening for the reception of an electrical conductor, said spaced" side walls-having outwardly bent portions adjacent one of said end walls'and deflningwith the latter a pair of grooves extending longitudinally of said side walls and said one of the end walls. a conductor bar engagingsaid side walls in said grooves and thereby held in face to face contactrelation with said last mentioned end wall. said conductor bar having a hole therein and said last mentioned end wall having a 1 portion projecting into said hole forpreventing movement of said bar longitudinally of said side walls, and means adjust-ably mounted on the other of said end walls and engageable with said electrical conductor for releasably securing said' electrical conductor in said opening of the connector in engagement with said bar.

rmmn JENSEN. 

